NICK WILLIAMS HAS been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury, meaning he has played his last game for Ulster.
The 32-year-old number eight will join Cardiff Blues this summer, and had been attempting to rehabilitate his shoulder issue in order to feature in Ulster’s Guinness Pro12 run-in.
However, the northern province have confirmed that Williams will undergo surgery this week to repair a labral tear in his shoulder, with the recovery from the operation keeping him out for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Ireland international wing Tommy Bowe has been ruled out of Saturday’s crucial Pro12 clash with Leinster at Kingspan Stadium [KO 3pm, Sky Sports].
32-year-old Bowe ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] during Ireland’s World Cup campaign last year, but made his Ulster return two weekends ago as he scored two tries in the Pro12 victory over Zebre.
However, Ulster say Bowe “experienced a mild knee reaction” following that clash with Zebre and will not feature against Leinster this weekend.
Tighthead prop Wiehahn Herbst has reintegrated with the rest of the squad at Ulster in training and is expected to be available for selection in the next fortnight.
Fullback Louis Ludik [groin] and scrum-half Paul Rowley [knee] remain sidelined with their injuries, while out-half Ian Humphreys recently saw a spinal specialist and had an injection to treat his back issue.
Alan O’Connor has undergone surgery after his recent shoulder dislocation and is expected to be fit for the start of the 2016/17 season, while prop Ruaidhri Murphy is in the same boat after surgery on his finger.
Munster-bound centre Sammy Arnold is “unlikely” to be seen again this season due to a hamstring injury.
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